THE 2010 Ryder Cup should make people wake up to Welsh golf, according to the author of a new book about some of the top courses.

Times golf correspondent John Hopkins, born in Cardiff, expects to see the number of visitors coming to Wales rise in the lead-up to 2010 and then grow dramatically after that.

“I am tired of Americans coming to me and asking where they should go in Scotland or near Heathrow. I think they should come to Wales which is relatively undiscovered,” said Hopkins, the author of Golf Wales.

“Everybody knows about Ireland and Scotland, but there is so much more to offer in Wales. Obviously, there is a wash of people that will come after the Ryder Cup, but let’s start it now.

“One of the reasons I was pleased Celtic Manor got the Ryder Cup is that it means much more to Wales to have the Ryder cup in 2010 than it would have done for it to go to Ireland, where it has been, or Scotland, who host any number of big golf events.

“Sometimes you have to do something which might not be the most popular, but I hope people will start coming well in advance of the Ryder Cup.”

According to Hopkins, it is not just visitor numbers that should increase – the Ryder Cup has provided an impetus to efforts to find young Welsh golfing talent.

“The number of players coming through now and the number coming through in the last 10 years has gone up,” said the Royal Porthcawl member.

“What Wales does well is identify and fast-track talent in a way England cannot do and there will be more of that. Wales does better in unearthing and identifying young golfers because it has to as it cannot compete in terms of money or numbers.”